Chicago City Wire

The Chicago Board of Ethics has fined local attorney and disc jockey Alan S. King $2,500 for operating as a lobbyist in communications with Mayor Rahm Emanuel without having followed the proper channels to do so. 

In a 6-0 vote, the board found that King failed to formally register as a lobbyist within five days of engaging in lobbying activity, as stipulated by ordinance.  

King, the husband of 4th Ward Alderman Sophia King and a partner in the law firm of Drinker Biddle, also saw his written appeal shot down unanimously.  

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel

King’s troubles began after a May 21, 2015, email he sent to Emanuel came to light. In the message, he asked the city for help in moving a fence from a park district property where he was planning to stage a house music picnic.

“I have a bit of a crisis situation with the Chicago Park District relating to our Chosen Few House Music Picnic on July 4,” King wrote to Emanuel, according to the Chicago Tribune. “Due to some construction work the Park District has allowed on our picnic site (despite permitting the site to us), it is a very serious situation for me and my business partners, and I think you might be able to help at least broker a solution."

As part of its vote, the board characterized King’s actions as an attempt to influence administrative action, concluding that he was “emailing the mayor on behalf of his business.”

The Tribune said King is one of six people fined for illegally lobbying the mayor, including former 43rd Ward Alderman William Singer, who was slapped with a $25,000 fine for making contact with Emanuel in 2016 on behalf of United Airlines regarding gate expansions at O’Hare International Airport.